Filing appliance.



G. JACOBS.

F-ILING APPLIANCE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN-31,1916.

1 ,2]. 4,68 1 Patented Feb. 6, 1917.

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G. JACOBS.

FILING APPLIANCE. APPLICATION FILED JAN.3I, 1916.

1,214,681. -"Patented Feb. 6,1917.

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Patented Feb. 6, 1917.

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A G. JACOBS.

FILING APPLIANCE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN 31.1916

GEORGE JACOBS, ROSWELL, NEW MEXICO, ASSIGNOR TO THE MGCASKEY REGISTERCOMPANY, (INCORPORATED IN 1914,) OF ALLIANCE, OHIO, A CORPORATION OFOHIO.

FILING ArrLiAncE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Original application filed February 21, 1911, Serial No. 609,973.Renewed January 25, 1916, Serial No. 74,276. Divided and thisapplication filed January 31, 1816. Serial No. 75,240.

Y '0 all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, Gnonon JAooBs, a citizen of the United States,residing at Roswell, in the 'county of Qhaves and State of New Mexico,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Filing Appliances,of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in filing appliances adapted forthe filing of papers, sales slips, bills, inenroranda and the like, inclassified order, of the type shown in my copending application, Serial1%. 609,973, filed. February 21, 1911, of whlch this application is adivision; and among other objects, the invention is designed to provideimproved means forsupporting the filing leaves and for causing relat vemovement between the pivots of one leaf and the pivots of adjoiningleaves, thus permitting he leaves to arrange themselves in steppedrelationship when moved into one posltion, and in superposed or compactrelationship when operated into the other position and ready to betelescoped into the elevator for lowering into the casing which is thesubject-matter of said parent application.

For the purpose of illustration I have, in the accompanying drawings,shown and herein described one form of filing appliance embodying myinvention.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of a filing applianceembodying my invention, showing the filing leaves elevated to operativeposition; Fig. 2, a fragmentary longitudinal vertical section with partsbroken away; Fig. 3, a sectional view on line 33 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4, afragmentary front view of the filing leaves showing the guide mechanismthereof in section; Fig. 5, a vertical section through a portion of thebase for the leaves and the writing board; Fig. 6, a perspective view ofthe base and hand rest detached; Fig. 7, a detailed view of the baselocking device; and Fig. 8, a section on line 88 of Fig. 2.

In the drawings I have shown a casing or housing preferably formed offireproof material, which may form part of and be made integrally with asafe or vault adapted for holding various records and articles inaddition to the slip or bill holding leaves hereinafter described. Theform of easing illusa combination lock 5, as is customar i fire andburglar proof casings or safes.

6 indicates an elevator frame movable verticall Y in slides 7 movable in'uide-wa s in the sides of the case and adapted to support a series ofpivotally mounted filing leaves 8, said elevator frame preferably beingformed of sheet metal and comprising a bottom 9, side walls 10, and arear wall 11, being open at the front and top to permit the operation ofthe leaves from a horizontal to a vertical position and vice versa. Theelevator 6 is operated bymeans of a pair of links 12 and 13 actuated bya rock shaft 1% which in turn is manually rocked by a lever 15.

The door 3 is preferably opened and closed by the raising and loweringof the elevator 6 through the manipulation of the lever 15, ananti-friction roller 16 being provided on the lower inner edge of thedoor, adapted to engage with the rear edge of the elevator to facilitatethe swinging of the door.

' Means are preferably provided for supporting the leaves so that theywill be in stepped relationship when arranged in position for operation,but will permit them to move longitudinally relative to each other intoa compact stack of rectangular shape, whereby they may be inclosedwithin the casing. This construction adapts the leaves for a casing ofminimum size and convenient shape. Of these means, 17 indicates a baseweferably connected by pivot pins or studs 18, to a pair of blocks 19,slidably mounted in opposite sides of the casing. The operative positionof the blocks 19 is at the forward end of the elevator 6 with the base17 extended and they may be held in such position by spring catches 20,one carried by each block and engaging with flanges 21 at the front endof the elevator. However, by releasing the catches 20, the blocks 19 maybe moved rearwardly, for a purpose to be later described.

22 indicates a series of guides arranged at each side of the leaves andextending from front to rear of the elevator 6 each of said series ofguides being preferably formed from a single sheet metal platecorrugated at opposite sides as shown in Fig. 3, and then bent on theline 22, to form a central portion which lies flat on the bottom 9 ofthe elevator.

As the leaf supporting and operating mechanism is the same on each sideof the leaves only one such mechanism need be referred to herein.

23 indicates a series of bearing blocks one for each of the leaves 8(except the front leaf), adapted to slide in an adjacent guide 22, saidblocks being provided with suitable bearings to receive the pivot pin24' of the leaf, whereby the latter is pivotally supported; the pivotpin of the front leaf being mounted in a suitable bearing in the block19, which, during the normal operation of the leaves, is stationary.Each of the pivot pins 24: is provided with a gear or pinion 25 adaptedto mesh with racks 26 formed on the upper and lower surfaces of a seriesof slide blocks 27, slidably mounted between the opposing faces ofadjoining bearing blocks 23 and arranged between the ribs which form theguides 22 and the near or adjacent side edges of the leaf 8, the gear 25meshing with the racks 26 of the blocks below and above. Thisconstruction connects all the bearing blocks and slide blocks together,first to cause synchronous movement thereof forwardly or rearwardly, andsecond to cause relative movement between one bearing block and theadjacent slide blocks, when one of the leaves 8 supported by one of thebearing blocks is swung from one position to another. This operation maybe clearly illustrated by reference to Fig. 2. Suppose that it isdesired to raise the uppermost horizontal leaf to a vertical position.The swinging of the leaf from a horizontal position to the verticalposition, will by means of the gear 25 meshing with the rack 26 of theblock below, move the adjacent bearing block 23 and the leaf 8 supportedthereby rearward a distance equal to half the thickness of the leaf.

At the same time the slide block 27 above said bearing block 23, will.by means of the gear 25, meshing with the rack 26, be moved rearward anequal distance plus the movement which was imparted to the bearing block23, or a distance equal to twice the rearward movement of the said block23. As the bearing blocks and slide blocks for the leaves 8 above theone operated are rigid relative to each other, all the leaves above theone operated will move rearward with the slide block (which isimmediately above the bean rear wall 11 of the elevator to form achamber for the weight. A suitable rope or cord 30 connects said weight28, with the uppermost leaf 8, said cord running over guide rollers orpulleys 31 in the upper portion of the elevator, and being secured tothe weight and leaf in any suitable manner.

32 indicates a stop carried by the bearing block for the uppermost leafwhich is adapted to preventrearward movement of the leaf under theinfluence of the weight 28 beyond the vertical position, thus serving asan abutment or back for the uppermost leaf when in operative position.

Then it is desired to arrange the leaves 8 in compact form ready to belowered in the casing, the spring catches 20 are released from theflanges 21 and the leaves are then moved into a horizontal position.Since the forward leaf is released from the elevator frame, and the rearleaf is connected to the weight 28, the gearing connections between theleaves will cause the leaves to move rearwardly, as they are moved intohorizontal position, and such operation will result in positioning themin compact superposed relationship in the elevator ready for lowering.

In order to support the leaves at their front ends while in horizontalposition, a cushion 33 may be provided 011 the base 17 as shown in Fig.1.

The base 17 preferably comprises two members 34 and 35 pivotallyconnected together and to the blocks 19 by the studs 18. This form ofconstruction permits the upper member 35, which may comprise a glassplate, to be swung upward independently of the other member. Metalplates or strips 36 bent over and extending along the front and oppositeside edges of the glass plate, may be provided for protecting it. Theframe 3% preferably constitutes an index carrying frame comprising anindex carrying plate 37 slidably mounted in guides 38 arranged along itsopposite sides.

39 indicates a hand rest or writing board, arranged forward of theleaves and preferably formed of sheet metal bent downward along itsopposite sides, to form flanges 40. A pair of arms 41 extend rearwardlyfrom the flanges 4,0,, and are pivotally connected V and thus supportsthe writing board in a plane coincident with the base member 35.

For the purpose of holding the leaves 8 in upright position, or theglass plate 35 in vertical position while changes in or additions to theindex are being made, a lock is providedcomprising a plate &3 pivoted toone of the flanges 21 of the elevator 6.

The lock is also adapted to hold both members of the base in verticalposition, if that is desirable, in order to close the index from thevision of persons not entitled to inspect it. T he plate 43 is supportedin operative position by n'leans of a stop or pin fat, as shown in Fig.7, said step also being adapt ed to prevent the plate from moving intoengagement with any of the leaves when not in use, as shown in Fig. 4.

To those skilled in the art of making filing appliances of the classdescribed, many alterations in construction and widely differingembodiments and applications of my inventions, will suggest themselves,without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. My disclosures anddescription herein are purely illustrative and are not intended to be inany sense limiting.

I claim:

1. In a filing appliance, the combination of supporting means, a seriesof swingably mounted leaves one end leaf of which is pivotally mountedon said supporting means, sets of blocks, one set arranged at each sideof the leaves, the blocks of each set slidable relative to each otherand each alternate block forming a bearing for the pivot of the adjacentleaf, means between each bearing block and the adjoining blocks aboveand below it for causing relative movement between said blocks when theleaf carried by the bearing block is operated.

2. In a filing appliance, the combination of supporting means, a seriesof swingably mounted leaves one end leaf of which is pivotally mountedon said supporting means, sets of blocks, one set arranged at each sideof the leaves, the blocks of each set slidable relative to each otherand each alternate block forming a bearing for the pivot of the adjacentleaf, guides for supporting and guiding alternate blocks of each set,and means between each bearing block and the adjoining blocks above andbelow it for causing relative movement between said blocks when the leafcarried by the bearing block is operated.

3. In a filing appliance, the combination of a support, a series ofleaves adapted to swing relatively to each other, a plurality of sets ofblocks for connecting said leaves together, and inter-engaging meansbetween the blocks of each set and operating, when one of the leaves isswung, to move the adjacent blocks relatively to each other.

4:. In a filing appliance, the combination of supporting means, a seriesof swingably mounted leaves one end leaf of which is pivotally mountedon said means, sets of blocks, one set arranged at each side of theleaves, the blocks of each set slidable relative to each other and eachalternate block forming a bearing for the pivot of the adjacent leaf,and the remaining blocks being provided with racks on their upper andlower surfaces, and gears carried by the pivots of each leaf meshingwith the racks of the adjacent blocks above and below them, andoperating when a leaf is swung from one position to another to causerelative movement between the bearing blocks for the leaf and theadjacent blocks above and below them.

5. In a filing appliance, the combination of supporting means, a seriesof swingabiy mounted leaves one end leaf of which is oivotally mountedon said supporting means, sets of blocks, one set arranged at each sideof the leaves, the blocks of each set slidable relative to each otherand each alternate block forming a bearing for the pivot of the adjacentleaf, and the remaining blocks being provided with racks on their upperand lower surfaces, gears carried by the pivots of each leaf meshingwith the racks of the adjacent blocks above and below them, andoperating when a leaf is swung from one position to another to causerelative movement between the bearing blocks for the leaf and theadjacent blocks above and below them, and guide means for the bearingblocks.

6. In a filing appliance, the combination of a frame, a series of leavesslidably mounted in said frame, gearing between the leaves permittingthem to swing relative to each other, and a base slidingly mounted insaid frame and movable into an extended position to support the leaveswhen arranged supporting horizontally, the said base comprising two 8.In a filing appliance, the combination tending to maintain the block forthe rearof a frame, a series of leaves, pivot blocks most leaf rearwardin the frame, the hold- 15 for the leaves slidably mounted in the frameing means for the pivot block for the foreand having gearing connectionsbetween most leaf being releasable to permit the 5 them, means normallyholding the pivot leaves to be moved rearward into compact blocks forthe foremost leaf forward in the relationship when in operativeposition.

frame the pivot blocks for the remaining leaves being movable therein,and means GEORGE JACOBS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

' Washing-tomD. C.

